The FAA has completed a necessary airspace study that marks the next step in progress toward a reconfigured and revitalized Blue Ash Airport.

The FAA sent its comments and a request for minor changes to the proposed airport layout plan to the city of Cincinnati last week. The city must now finalize and certify the plan by obtaining necessary signatures and returning them to the FAA. Once that is done, the airport will be able to seek federal Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grants.

“AOPA and local pilots have worked extremely diligently to get to this point,” said AOPA Vice President of Local Airport Advocacy Bill Dunn. “The expected finalization of the airport layout plan will open the door for approval of needed grant money, bringing a redesigned Blue Ash closer to reality.”

The city of Cincinnati is seeking $9 million in AIP funding to reconfigure the airport, which was long under threat of closure. Current plans call for a new airport layout as well as an aviation museum, park, and other community facilities nearby. But no AIP money can be approved until an FAA-approved airport layout plan is in place.

AOPA has been actively involved in the long struggle to protect Blue Ash Airport, which is located in the city of Blue Ash but owned and operated by the city of Cincinnati. Most recently, the association has worked closely with the FAA and the airport district office in Detroit to expedite approval of the layout plan.